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As the world&amp;rsquo;s tallest trees, California&amp;rsquo;s giant redwoods draw numerous vacationers to the shores of Northern California, where they tower above the rugged coastline. All of the state parks in the redwood forests have camping facilities to offer a rugged vacation option, while resorts nearby offer more modern facilities for those who wish to explore the trees without sacrificing modern conveniences.

Redwoods National and State Parks

The Redwood National and State Parks system includes four adjacent parks: Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Combined, these four parks protect 45 percent of the world&amp;rsquo;s old-growth redwood forest land, including the tree identified in 2006 as the world&amp;rsquo;s tallest, the 379.1-foot tall Hyperion. If you wish to stay in the parks, choose from the four developed campgrounds, one of which is on the coast. You may bring your RVs or trailers, but the park has no utility hookups. Because of the popularity of camping among the giant trees, reservations are recommended. The park system has more than 200 miles of trails for you to hike, bike or ride horses on. If you visit the park in November, December, March or April, head to the coast to view gray whales in their yearly migration. These redwood parks are also an ideal location to view tide pools. Other activities include sport fishing, kayaking and ranger-led hikes.

Redwood National and State Parks1111 Second St.Crescent City, CA 95531707-464-6101nps.gov

Redwoods River Resort

The Redwoods River Resort offers cabins, a motel and camping cabins, as well as RV and tent camping sites. In the A-frame lodge motel, you may choose from guestrooms that sleep three to eight people, and each one has a private bath with shower, a small kitchenette, a private deck with barbecue and a TV. The cabins sleep two to six people and have a private bath and outside kitchenette with fire rings. The camping cabins have bunk beds, electrical outlets, lighting and a fire ring. A recreation room on site provides a variety of table games to give your family a place to play while not exploring the woods. The resort sits on the Eel River, so guests may fish and swim in the shadow of the trees. Redwoods River also has a heated swimming pool and two playgrounds to add to the on-site activities. You can purchase wireless Internet access during your stay. While staying at the park, you can visit several popular redwood attractions located nearby, like the World Famous Tree House, which is built inside a redwood, and the Chandler Drive-Thru Tree.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Humboldt Redwoods State Park covers 53,000 acres with 17,000 acres of the majestic redwood trees, including Rockefeller Forest, the world&amp;rsquo;s largest continuous old-growth redwood forest. This park has 250 campsites, including four developed campgrounds, two group campgrounds, trail campsites and two environmental camps, all of which sit among the redwood trees. Campsites have picnic tables and fire rings, but no electrical hookups. Each of the developed campgrounds has a coin-operated shower facility and flush toilets. You can bring campers up to 33 feet in length, but you have to leave the park to access a dump station. If you own horses, bring them with you on vacation and stay in the Cuneo Creek Horse Camp, which has corrals and equipment for the animals. While visiting the park, plan to take a drive on the 32-mile Avenue of the Giants, which includes the Shrine Drive Thru Tree, one of the last remaining drive-through redwoods. At Humboldt, you can boat or fish in South Fork and Main Stem Eel River, but you must bring your own gear, as the park does not rent boats or fishing equipment. The park also has 100 miles of hiking trails you can explore on your trip, including four ADA accessible easy hikes.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

For a secluded vacation destination, consider one of the 30 campsites at Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park. According to the California State Parks Department, this park has so few guests during the week that you can find yourself alone in a grove of giant redwood trees. The Van Duzen River runs through the park and provides fishing, swimming, canoeing and kayaking activities. The park has 4.5 miles of hiking trails and a visitor center with educational exhibits. You can easily access Humboldt Redwoods State Park from a campsite in Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, as the two are adjacent to each other. Arrive early to get your site, as the campground does not take reservations.

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About the Author

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006, specializing in real estate, finance and travel. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling and has visited several countries, including Israel, Spain, France and Guam. Harms received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Maranatha Baptist Bible College.

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